In order to provide a target substrate e.g., architectural materials with various characteristics, such as stain resistance, weatherability, resistance to heat and cold, resistance to water and oil, resistance to chemical, color effect (including stone-like effect), high gloss or other visual effect, a multilayer structure consisting of two or more layers may be applied. For example, to provide a target substrate with a stone-like effect, a flexible stone-like layer is applied to the surface of the target substrate and a transparent rigid layer having a comparatively high modulus of elasticity is applied over the flexible stone-like layer. In such a multilayer structure, an outer layer functions as an overcoat for shielding external force and an inner layer maintains its stone-like effect.
A topcoat finish of high gloss is usually applied in order to further improve the aesthetic property of the target substrate. The final gloss of a coating, however, depends on many parameters that can be difficult to control. For example, the properties of the coating solution itself, such as the resin binders used in the formulation, the formulation viscosity and the flatting pigment loading, can have an impact on the topcoat's final gloss level. In addition, cure conditions such as curing speed, temperature, oxygen inhibition and the like, have an impact on the gloss in the final coating product.